Machine for clamping and nailing boards.



N. BINGER.

MACHINE FOR CLAMPING AND NAIUNG BOARDS.

APPLICATIONTILED APR. 7, I915.

attmu Patented Oct. 10,1916.

"2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ms NORR'S PErERs c0..PHc1b-Lln10.. WASHINGTON. u. c

N. BINGER.

MACHINE FOR CLAMPlNG AND NAILING BOARDS.

APPLICAHON FILED APR-7,1915.

Patented 001;. 10, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

NICKOLAUS BINGER. OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

MACHINE FOR CLAMPING AND NAILING BOARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed April 7, 1915. Serial No. 19,755.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NIOKOLAUS BINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Clamping and Nailing Boards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to devices for placing, clamping, and nailing flooring boards, ceiling boards, side and overhead sheathing and for use under like circumstances.

In the art of carpentry it is necessary in laying flooring boards, sheathing or ceiling boards that the boards be forced firmly into position abutted against previously nailed boards. The usual method of doing this is by hammering upon the edges of the boards, thereby forcing the boards into place but defacing the edges of the boards. This is particularly likely to occur when the boards are formed with tongues and grooves. After the boards are forced into place a nail is driven into the joist to hold the boards in place, and later on other nails are driven through the boards and joists.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine whereby boards for floor, ceiling or sheathing may be forced into place and into contact with previously nailed boards without damage and held clamped. into position until nails can be driven into the boards and into the joists.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in connection with the board holding means above referred to, means for forcing nails through the boards and into the joists.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character above indicated in which joist clamps are provided which are forced into the joist to hold the machine firmly in place while a board is forced into position, and then released from the joist after the board has been forced into abutting engagement with the previously nailed board.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character above stated with oppositely disposed joist clamps which operate in a reverse direction to each other, and provide joist engaging means on the under side of the base of the machine holding the base against lateral movement while the clamps are being forced into and out Of engagement with the joist. 1

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine forthis purpose having a board-engaging plunger and oist engaging clamps, and to provide means for first automatically forcing the joist engaging clamps into the joist, and then, upon a further actuation of the machine, forcing the board-engaging plunger or head outward to thereby force the sheathing or floor board up against an adjacent board.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding the board-engaglng plunger in its projected position Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine as applied to laying and nailing floor boards; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the board pressing mechanism; Fig. 3 is an under side plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4- of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an under side plan view of the link 38; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the plunger 20.

Referring to these drawings and several figures, it will be seen that the base of the machine consists of an approximately rectangular member, designated generally 2, this member having an upper wall 3, side walls 4, and a bottom wall 5. The member is open at its opposite ends. The side walls are longitudinally slotted at their rear ends, as at 6. The top wall 3 extends from the rear end of the guide or base'member merely to the forward end and there terminates, and this top wall is formed with a longitudinally extending opening 8, which, at its forward end, is contracted to form a longitudinally extending slot 9.

The bottom wall, as illustrated in Fig. 3, is formed with a slot 10 which extends from a point adjacent the rear end of the bottom wall of the guide nearly to the middle of the bottom wall, the rear extremity of the bottom wall being provided with a downwardly extending transverse lug or rib 11. Forward of the slot 10 the bottom wall is thickened by the addition of a plate 12, which additional portion may, however, be cast or otherwise formed with the bottom wall, which thickened portion 12 extends forward to a predetermined extent, but terminates short of the end 13 of the bottom wall. This thickened portion is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 14:, the slot having rounded ends. Disposed immediately in front of the forward end of the thickened portion 12 is a spur 15, which may be mounted in any suitable manner but is preferably mounted upon a head 16, the spur and head being formed with a screw-threaded shank whereby it may be inserted in the plate formed in the bottom wall. This spur is chisel-shaped, the edge extending longitudinally of the machine. This bottom wall is likewise formed adjacent its forward end and forward of the thickened portion 12 with the laterally and rearwardly curved or angular arms 17, these arms being formed with a plurality of perforations 18 adapted to support the pivot bolts for certain joist clamping jaws hereafter referred to.

Slidingly mounted within the rectangular hollow base 2 is a plunger 20 which is rectangular in section so as to have a sliding engagement within the base. This plunger 20, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is formed at its forward end with a head 21 whose lower surface is depressed below the under surface of the plunger, as at 22, and which is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 23 for the purpose of supporting a T-shaped presser head 21. This presser head, in the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1, is T-shaped in plan and has at its forward edge a transversely extending groove 25 adapted to receive the tongue of a floor board or like piece of timber.

The body of the plunger is longitudinally slotted, as at 26. This slot 26 extends from a point adjacent the rear end to a point somewhat near the middle of the plunger. From this point onward the top of the plunger is formed by a transversely extending web 27 which is also longitudinally slotted, as at 28, this slot being narrower in width than the slot 26.

Pivotally mounted upon the ears 17 are the oppositely disposed clamping jaws 31. These jaws both have the same character and are mounted in the same way, and therefore the description of one applies to the other. Each jaw is straight throughout a portion of its length and is downwardly bent at its forward end and there provided with an inwardly projecting tooth or spur 32. Each jaw intermediate its ends is provided with the longitudinally extending slot 33, within which the corresponding car 17 is inserted. Each jaw upon its inside face and on each side of the slot is also provided with the car 34- and the pivot bolt 35 for each aw passes through the perforations 18 and through the corresponding cars 34. The rear end of each jaw 31 is bifurcated and formed with the ears 36.

The jaws are actuated by means of a lever 37 pivotally mounted upon the plunger 20, as will be later described, and this lever is provided with pawls 29 which are gravityactuated and engage with ratchet teeth 30 formed upon the vertical walls 1 of the rectangular member 2. These pawls are adapted to be rotated either to an active or an inactive position, and when in an active position act to prevent a movement of the lever in a direction reverse to that of the arrow in Fig. 1.

Pivotally mounted within the slot 26 of the plunger 20, adjacent its rear end, is the lower end of an actuating lever 37. This lever is bifurcated at its lower end and has pivotally connected to it the link 38 whose forward end works within the slot 9 of the upper web of the base or guide 2. This link at its forward end is pivotally connected, in a manner which will be later described, to a head 39, and into this head projects the shank 10 of a pivot bolt, whose head 41 is disposed within and has sliding engagement in the slot 14. Connecting the rear ends of the jaws 31 with this pin 10 are the links 42, the converging ends of which are scarfed so as to overlap each other, the shank 40 or pin passing through these scarfed overlapping ends of the links 12. It will now be obvious that upon a movement of the head 39 in a rearward direction in the slot 1a, the rear ends of the jaws 31 will be pushed laterally outward and the forward ends forced laterally inward or toward each other, and that upon a reverse movement of the member 39 the rear ends of the jaws 31 will be drawn toward each other and the prongs 32 will be carried away from each other. It is also to be noted in this connection that the forward ends of the jaws 31 are curved downward so that the prongs or teeth 32 are disposed below the lower face of the base of the machine and thereby in position to engage a joist upon which the machine may be supported. It will be noted also that the head 39 has sliding movement and that the plunger 20 has sliding movement. fore be obvious, assuming the lever 37 to be in the position shown in Fig. 2, that a movement of the free end of the lever toward the rear end of the machine will first act to draw the member 39 rearward, thus causing the prongs 32 to be forced into a joist upon which the machine is mounted, and that then upon a further rearward movement of the It will therefree end of the lever 37 the point of attachlilr this end the forward end of the link 38 is formed with a head 43, this head having an approximately rectangular recess 44 on its under side. Disposed within this recess is the member 39 which has the form of a nut. The recess 44 has the same width as the member 39, but is somewhat longer than this member so that the member may have rocking movement inside the head 43. It will be obvious now that this rocking movement of the member 39 will permit the angular shifting of the member 38, and is practically the same as if the link 38 were pivoted to the head 39 for vertical movement. Of course the pin or shank 40 permits the oscillation of the links 44 in a horizontal plane.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the joist contacting surface of the base consists of the transversely extending rib 11, the under face of the thickened portion or plate 12, and the under face of the plunger head 21, and that the prong 15 projects below these surfaces, so that it may be forced into a joist when the under surface of the base is in contact with the joist. The operation of this portion of my invention is as follows: When it is desired to force a floor board, for instance, against a board previously disposed upon a joist A, the plunger is re tracted by moving the upper end of the lever 37 to its forward position. The board is then disposed between the forward end of the presser head 24 and the edge of the board previously laid, and then the lever 37 is shifted in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. This action, as previously explained, first acts to draw the member 39 rearward,

causing the forward ends of the jaws 31 to close against the joist and forcing the prongs 32 thereinto. A further movement of the lever then acts to carry the plunger forward, and this pushes the board B into abutting contact with the board B previously laid upon the joist. The board B may be held in this position against movement by throwing the pawls 30 into engagement with the teeth 29. If, however, it is not desired to hold the plunger set or locked against the board, then after the board B has been forced into position and into firm abutting contact with the board previously laid, the motion of the lever 37 is reversed. This lever acts first to withdraw the plunger and then when the head 21 of the plunger has come in contact with the forward end of the bottom plate 5 or web, a forward movement of the lever in this direction causes the forward movement of the member 39, and this causes the rear ends of the jaws 31 to be drawn together, thus releasing the prongs 32 from the wood of the joist. It is at this point that the tooth or prong 15 is important. If no tooth or prong were proaided, then upon a lateral movement of the jaws one jaw would be liable to remain in contact withthe wood, the other jaw being forced outward, and the machine would be swung around upon the pivot. By providing prong 15, however, the base is held in axial alinement with the joist and the jaws opened evenly and thus both prongs 32 are drawn simultaneously from their engagement with the joist.

In order to provide for initially nailing the board B after it has been forced into contact with the board B, I provide a nail engaging plunger operated by a lever. I provide a channel into which the plunger is movable, the channel opening at its lower end just above the extremity of the presser head 24, and I provide means for feeding nails one by one from a hopper or other nail receptacle to this plunger channel. Preferably I make the nailing attachment separable from the board pressing part of the machine so that the nailing attachment need not be used in certain situations where it could not be operatix e or where it is not desired to nail the boards in this manner.

The nailing mechanism forms the subjectmatter of a divisional application for patent, Serial No. 41,756, filed July 24, 1915, in which the nail feeding mechanism is fully described and illustrated. This nail feeding mechanism comprises the upwardly and rearwardly extending frame 45. This frame consists of two side pieces 46 spaced from each other. This frame is cut away as at 49 and 50, in order to reduce weight and .1

means of a lever 56, which lever is pivoted upon the bolt 51 and fastened to the sector gear by means of a pin 57. It will therefore be seen that an oscillation of the lever 56 in one direction will cause a downward projection of the plunger, and that an oscillation of the lever in the other direction will cause the plunger to rise.

For the purpose of delivering nailsinto position within the plunger channel so that upon a downward movement of the plunger the nail may be driven, I provide a nail containing receptacle 58. This receptacle 58 is supported upon a bracket 59 projecting out from the head 24, this bracket consisting of the upper and lower members, the upper member being designated 60 and also acting as a guide for the nails. Attached to this bracket 59 in any suitable manner are the somewhat resilient arms 61 whichare preferably formed to inclose an approximate This plunger extends down rectangle, these arms at their terminal ends being provided with outwardly directed flanges (52 through which passes a clamping bolt 3. The body of thehopper is attached to the bottom thereof in any suitable manner and is preferably provided with a cover 66.

Mounted upon transversely extending bolts 74 and 75 are a pair of springs 76 providing upwardly and outwardly projecting spring fingers 77. These fingers form continuations of walls 60 and support the head of a nail. hen the plunger descends under the action of the lever 56, the plunger will strike the head of the nail and carry it downward together with the spring fingers 77. These fingers, as they move downward, are spread apart and caused to drop the head of the nail and permit the passage 01 the plunger 5%. Upon the upward movement of the plunger, however, the resiliency of the fingers 77 will cause them to move inward so as to be again disposed to receive a nail passing downward on the guide wall 60.

For the purpose of allowing the nails to pass one by one into the plunger channel, I provide the side walls of the frame 4-5 with the slots 78 and pivotally mount upon the frame a strip of metal 80, this strip being mounted upon the stud 81. The upper end of this strip is deflected, as at 82, and at its upper end has a flange 83 which is inclined upward and laterally so as to provide a lat erally inclined surface adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the plunger 54 when the plunger is raised. The lower end of this strip is formed to provide a knife edge disposed in the slot 78. Pivotally mounted upon this strip 80 by means of a stud or screw 87 is an angular member 88 having an upwardly extending arm 89, the lower end being also provided with a knife or beveled edge disposed in the slot 78. T he upper end oi the arm 89 is engaged by the terminal end of a spring whose middle portion is wrapped around the pivot stud S1 and whose extremity is carried upward and engaged with the strip 80 in any suitable manner.

The oscillation of the lever 56 will cause the oscillations of the members 80 and 88 so as to permit single nails to drop one by one into the channel of the member as fully described in my eo-pending application before referred to. Initially the hopper 58 is filled with nails, which nails eventually travel down the guide and are delivered one by one into the channel for the plunger 54.. Now upon a downward movement of the lever the plunger will descend and enage a nail and force it downward into and I3 through the board, while upon an upward movement of the plunger a new nail will be,

allowed to pass into the plunger channel.

I so construct the machine that the nailing portion of the mechanism is detachable from the board pressing portion; I provide for the use of the machine in situations where it is not desirableto nail theboard or where it is not possible to do so by 1nachinry, as for instance, in pressing ceiling boards, side and overhead sheathing boards,

etc. Under ordinary circumstances, for instance where flooring boards are to be ap plied, and particularly where the boards are tongued and grooved, the naihng device is may be turned into or out of action both at the same time. These pawls 30 are particularly necessary where work is being done on overhead ceiling where square edged boards are used and have to be face-nailed with a hammer. In this case it is very important that the lever be looked as the boards are pressed into the required position.

Not only is this machine adapted for the purpose for which it is designed but it is also capable of a further use, that is it can be used for the same purpose as a jack screw, but with this advantage, that it can be applied at any moment and at any place where a jack screw would be impractical, for instance, in raising props under girders, or galleries, or forms for the use of reinforced concrete piers. In order to use the machine for this purpose it is only necessary to set the machine upright against the post to be raised, the machine being disposed upon a block from (-3 to 18 inches high. The lever 37 is then raised and the claws or jaws 31 will take a firm hold of the post and as the plunger bears against the block and cannot move farther downward, the jaws will lift the post to an extent dependent upon the stroke of the lever 37. Of course after the post has been lifted a certain distance it may be blocked up and a new hold taken.

It will of course be obvious that many changes in the details of construction may be made withoutideparting from the spirit of my invention, and that I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts or the exact form or mounting of the various elements of my invention as described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

.1. In a machine of the character described, a base, a reciprocating plunger mounted upon the base, joist gripping means mounted upon the base, and a lever pivoted to the plunger and pivotally conn cted to the joist gripping means.

In a machine of the character described, a base, joist gripping means mounted thereon, a reciprocative board engaging means also. mounted thereon and actuating means operatively connected to the joist gripping means and to the board engaging means and movable in one direction to actuate the joist gripping means and successively actuate the board engaging means, and in the other direction to successively retract the board engaging means and then. release the joist engaging means.

3. In a machine of the character described, a base, joist gripping means thereon shiftable into or out of a gripping position, a reciprocating plunger thereon, actuating means operatively connected to the plunger to cause its reciprocation, and operative connections between the actuating means and the gripping means permitting independent further movement of the actuating means and the plunger after the gripping means, have been shifted the maximum amount.

4L. In a machine of the character described, a base, a plunger slidably mounted thereon, and a lever pivotally connected to the plunger at its end, joist gripping means shifted into or out of a gripping position, and a link operatively connected to the joist gripping means and to the lever and constituting a fulcrum for the lever during the final movement of the lever after the joist gripping means are shifted to a gripping position or during the first portion of the movement of the lever to retract the plunger.

In a machine of the character described, a base, a plunger mounted thereon, joist gripping means mounted upon the base and movable into or out of a gripping position, a lever pivotally connected at its end to the plunger, and a link pivotally connectcd. to the lever above its plunger engaging end, said link being operatively con nected to the oist gripping means, the pivotal connection of the lever to the plunger constituting a fulcrum for the initial movement of the lever in a direction to seat the gripping means and to operate the plunger, the pivotal connection of the lever to the link constituting a fulcrum for the lever during a final movement of the lever after the jaws are set and also constituting a fulcrum for the lever during the first portion of the movement of the lever in the reverse direction.

6. In a machine of the character described, a base, joist gripping jaws pivotally mounted upon the base and having inwardly directed prongs, a plunger reciprocatively mounted upon the base and having a board engaging head, a lever pivotally mounted upon the plunger, and a link pivoted to said lever and operatively connected to the gripping jaws whereby actuation of the lever in one direction will initially cause an actuation of the jaws and then cause an actuation of the plunger and in the other direction will cause an actuation of the plunger and successive release of the jaws.

7. In a machine of the character described, a base, joist gripping jaws pivotally mounted upon the base, the forward ends of said jaws being downwardly bent and having confronting laterally directed prongs, a plunger slidably mounted in the base and having a board engaging head at its forward end, a lever pivotally mounted upon the plunger, a slide mounted within the plunger, links connecting the said slide to the rear ends of the gripping jaws and a link connecting the lever to said slide whereby to cause successive actuation of the jaws and the plunger upon a movement of the lever.

8. In a machine of the character described, a base, oppositely disposed joist gripping jaws pivotally mounted upon the base and laterally adjustable, a plunger slidably mounted within the base and having a board engaging head, a lever pivotally mounted within the plunger, a slide mounted within the plunger, a pair of links extending one from the rear end of each jaw and pivot ally connected to said slide to cause an oscillation of the jaws upon a reciprocation of the slide, and a link pivotally connecting the said slide to the lever.

9. In a machine of the character described, a base, joist gripping jaws mounted upon the base for coincident movement, a plunger slidably mounted in the base, a lever pivotally mounted upon the plunger, and a link operatively connecting the lever to the joist gripping aWs.

10. In a machine of the character described, a base having guide walls and a bottom, the bottom of the base being formed with a longitudinally extending slot, a plunger mounted within the base for sliding movement and having a board engaging head, oppositely disposed joist engaging jaws pivotally mounted upon the bottom of the base and having inwardly directed prongs at their forward ends, said prongs being disposed below the level of the bottom of the base, a slide mounted within the slot in the bottom, a lever pivoted to the plunger, a link pivotally connected to the lever and to the slide, oppositely disposed links pivoted to the slide and to the rear ends of said jaws and means disposed upon the base for engaging a joist to prevent lateral movement upon the base with relation thereto.

11. In a machine of the character described, a base, board pressing means operatively mounted upon the base for sliding movement, oppositely disposed joist gripping jaws mounted upon the base for coincident lateral movement toward or from each other, and means for oscillating said jaws and actuating said board pressing means, the under face of the base being provided with a medially disposed joist engaging prong whereby to prevent lateral movement of the base upon lateral movement of the joist gripping jaws.

12. In a machine of the character described, a base, a plunger slidably mounted upon the base, a lever operatively connected to the plunger to cause its reciprocation relative to the base, oppositely disposed clamping members pivotally mounted upon the base for oscillation transverse to the direction of movement of the plunger, a member slidably mounted upon the base to which the clamping members are operatively connected, and a link pivotally connected to the lever and operatively connected to the sliding member.

13. In a machine of the character described, a base having laterally disposed ears formed with a plurality of perforations, at plunger slidably mounted upon the base, a levenoperatively connected to the plunger to cause its reciprocation, oppositely disposed clamping members having pivot pins adapted to be engaged in any one of the perforations of the ears whereby the clamping members may be laterally adjusted, and means operatively connecting the lever and the clamping members whereby the latter shall be forced inward upon the movement gt the lever to force the plunger out of the ase.

14. In a machine of the character described, a base, a plunger slidably mounted upon the base, a lever pivotally connected to the plunger, oppositely disposed clamping members pivotally mounted for oscillation transverse to the direction of movement of the plunger, a member slidably mounted upon the base, links connecting the clamping members to said slidably mounted member, and a link pivotally connected to the lever and having a head operatively engaging said sliding member and having free oscillation upon said sliding member in the plane of said lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. N ICKOLAUS BINGER. Witnesses:

D. L. HARRELL, C. T. Sononrrnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

